New Zealand Defence Force Major General Hugh McAslan Appointed as Deputy Chief of Joint Operations
2 October 2024
Australia and New Zealand continue to expand our defence partnership, with the appointment of Major General Hugh McAslan, DSD, New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), as Australia’s newest Deputy Chief of Joint Operations.
This appointment marks the highest senior appointment of an officer from a foreign military into the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and follows the recent appointment of ADF Brigadier Michael Bassingthwaighte, DSM, as the Deputy Commander Headquarters Joint Force New Zealand.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Richard Marles, and New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins welcomed the appointments during talks on the sidelines of the South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Auckland earlier this week.
The high-level exchanges of senior military officers, together with combined warfighting exercises, help to increase knowledge, networks, and interoperability between Australian and New Zealand defence forces.
Australia and New Zealand share a longstanding history of cooperation, and both countries are committed to continuing a deliberate, coordinated and ambitious agenda that deepens and expands our defence partnership.
Source: Defence PR